Savoy magazine recently addressed the
issue of getting more blacks elected to public office. Views were
diverse, and all disturbed me.

Mellody Hobson of Ariel Capitol Management
sounded naive: "I don't care what the platform is, I just
want a black senator or governor." Publisher Earl Graves,
Sr., took a different track, warning: "You have to support
the candidate who will support our message. If you don't, you
end up with a Clarence Thomas."

Nobody asked me to help craft "our
message." I like Thomas. And I appreciate the fact that Graves
showcases black entrepreneurs' success stories in his magazines.
His apparent support of the liberal agenda concerns me.

This notion of a "message,"
its irony and the confused thinking related to it is apparent.
Support black candidates unquestioningly, unless they are conservative.
J.C. Watts, Alan Keyes, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice are
"dissed" while leftist icons are revered.

Black "leaders" with their own
agendas encourage this attitude. It is shortsighted and threatens
the form of government that protects the freedoms we enjoy and
provides the opportunities Graves celebrates.

People without a real understanding of
the foundations of their freedoms, opportunities and prosperity
can be deceived by disinformation. What force can influence those
who profess Judeo-Christian principles - or even a secular morality
- to cleave to Godless and destructive ideologies or support those
who do?

Politics.

After the 1983 U.S. liberation of the
Caribbean island of Grenada, captured records documented meetings
of the ousted communist leadership. In a December 15, 1982 meeting,
it was noted "Barbara Lee is here... with a report on the
International Airport that was done by Ron Dellums." The
report was an intelligence assessment on the Granadian airport
used as a trans-shipment point for arms from the Soviet Union
to guerilla groups in the Western Hemisphere. Lee was an assistant
to Congressman Ron Dellums (D-CA). Since then, Dellums retired
and Lee replaced him.

Both are black.

The captured minutes explain that Dellums,
through Lee, invited enemies of our nation and form of government
to suggest changes to a report to be submitted to the House Armed
Services Committee.

Dellums and Lee, throughout their political
lives, have allied themselves with the extreme left and subversive
groups that share a direct lineage to the values espoused by Karl
Marx. Marx's Communist Manifesto declares there should be no power
given to God or family, only to the state.

There is no disputing that our community
places a great value in God, family and morality, yet many who
claim to be our leaders and serve as our representatives in government
adhere to political values that are exactly the opposite. Why?

This is the reward for not caring about
the positions of those we give power. We the people, through ignorance,
apathy or both consistently elect people whose activism clearly
demonstrates a conflict with the people's business. In this way,
government, which is supposed to be the servant of the people,
will surely become the master.

Dellums, Lee and others have unquestioned
support in much of the black community. Yet we seem unable or
unwilling to assess the ultimate threat to America's existence.

We live in perilous times. The price of
freedom is constant vigilance. Only an informed citizenry can
defend our freedoms.

How long ago was it written, "...for
lack of knowledge, my people perish"? For lack of knowledge
of our heritage, our founding principles and understanding of
the responsibilities and privileges of the freedoms we have -
many of us are giving away our birthrights.

Utopia is an unobtainable dream. Rather
than tear down to try to create it, I believe that defending,
building up and improving the system we have now is our best hope
for the future.

###

(Richard Dimery is a member of the National
Advisory Council of the African-American leadership network Project
21. Comments may be sent to [email protected].)

Note: New Visions Commentaries
reflect the views of their author, and not necessarily those of
Project 21.